Millington blogger wants rules to rein in Commissioner Terry Roland

Takes aim at Shelby County Commissioner Roland

Debra Sigee writes the blog Living In Millington. She recently tried to file ethics charges against Shelby County Commissioner Terry Roland, accusing him of bullying, harassment and behavior unbecoming of a County Commissioner.

Special to The Commercial Appeal

January 30, 2014 - Shelby County Commissioner Terry Roland listens to Attorney Ricky Wilkins, who is representing Commissioner Sidney Chism, during a case against Chism in front of the Shelby County Ethics Panel at the Vasco A. Smith, Jr. County Administration Building Thursday. Chism is accused of voting in favor of Head Start funding while children at his family's day car center, Horn Lake Road Day Care, received wrap around services through a contract with Memphis City Schools. (Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal)

As Millington blogger Debra Sigee watched the recent ethics charge made by Shelby County Commissioner Terry Roland against Commissioner Sidney Chism unwind, she began to wonder.

Recalling the things Roland had said to her and about her, she decided to file her own ethics complaint, charging the North Shelby County commissioner with bullying, harassment and behavior unbecoming of a county commissioner.

But behavior isn't included in the ethics ordinance, she was told, making her complaint outside of the jurisdiction of the ethics ordinance.

However, as the commission considers revisions to the county's ethics ordinance, she believes how officials behave should be included in the new rules.

Call it the Roland Rule, she said.

"Since he's leading the charge to strengthen the ethics rules, there needs to be a Terry Roland rule in there to protect citizens from behavior such as his," said Sigee, who has lived in Millington for 20 years and ran unsuccessfully for mayor.

Roland, who is white, said Sigee, an African-American, is a racist and that she lies on her blog.

"She's mad at me because I told her I'm going to sue her," he said. "She don't understand that anything she puts on that blog that she can't back up, she can be sued for."

Roland, Sigee said, inappropriately interjects himself in city of Millington business.

Roland asked Millington police Inspector Reggie Fields to tell Sigee that Roland said she was a racist.

"I don't' want to be in the middle of anything, but that is how it happened," Fields said.

Fields claims Roland as a friend of 27 years, but agrees that there should be rules to address how officials conduct themselves publicly.

"Because these commissioners represent the people and they should be held accountable for how they treat people," Fields said.

Millington School board member Louise Kennon agrees.

"I don't want to say anything that would damage anybody, but I'm like Debbie: I think it's time he realizes that his behavior is not good for him nor for the community," Kennon said.

Ethics should include how you treat your citizens, she said.

Roland has had a history of volatile behavior while on the commission.

In 2012 at a meeting of the Collierville Republicans, he threatened to hit Commissioner Chris Thomas. The police were called but no arrests were made.

"Everyone's seen it with commissioners, but they don't know he's also doing it with constituents," Sigee said. "That's even worse."

Roland dismisses Sigee's criticism.

"First of all, she's a nut, she's a racist. That's all I'm going to say about her," Roland said.

It's a charge he made because she would not support bringing E.E. Jeter Elementary into the Millington school system and because she was against the establishment of the local school district, he said.

"Debra was against us," Roland said. "That's why I went off on her."

And, Roland claims she used her blog to expose some legal trouble Ronnie Mackin, the local candidate for Millington school superintendent, was in a few years ago.

His record was expunged, but Roland said Sigee was part of a conspiracy of citizens, city employees and elected officials that leaked it.

Sigee did reference the discovery of "embarrassing information" on Mackin, and said what she found were three unfavorable student reviews from his time at Dexter Middle School.

Mackin did not get the job.

"It looks to me she might be liable in this lawsuit, because I'm asking for the state to come in and investigate," Roland said.

After an ethics panel found that Chism was not in violation of the county's ethic's rules, Roland said he intended to see if state ethics violation charges could be filed.